Celery-cultivator.



W. L. BONNEY. GELERY GULTIVATOR. APPLIoATIoN-HLED AUG. 5. 1907.

Patented Jan. 5,'1909.

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W. L. BONNEY.v GBLERY GULTIVATOR. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 5, 1907.-

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W. L. Bormr'n..V GELBBY GULTIVATOR. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5. 1907.

Patented Jan. '5, 1909.

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W.' L. BONNEY. vGELERY CULTIVATOR. ArPLIoATIoN Hmm AUG. 5, 1907.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

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WALTER L. BONNEY, OF BATAVIA, NEW YORK.

Specification o' Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Application led August 5, 1907. Serial No. 387,133.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, YVALTER L. BONNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Batavia, in the county of Genesee and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Celery-Cultivators, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cultivators or agricultural implements used inthe cultivation of celery.

In growing celery, especially the early variety, it is necessary toprotect the plants against the heat ofthe summer sun to properly bleachthe stalks and improve their quality. Heretofore this has beenaccomplished by placing boards on opposite sides of the rows of plants,and by banking the earth up against the plants. The former method, inaddition to being expensive is troublesome, 'as the boards arecumbersome and heavy to handle; and the later method is objectionable inthat the earth is a poor non-conductor of heat and stains the stalkswhich also collect and hold more or less of the soil and grit.

The primary object of this invention is to lessen the expense and workof celery cultivation and improve the quality of the celery by providinga machine or cultivator furnished with means for laying webs or stripsof thin flexible material which is a good nonconductor of heat, such aspaper, along the opposite sides of the row of plants to protect thestalks from the heat of the sun and from direct contact with the earth.To this end the machine or implement hereinafter described as anembodiment of the invention, is provided with rolls of paper, or othersuitable thin flexible material, which is paid out and laid along sideof the plants on opposite sides of the row as the machine is drawnalong, and with bankers or devices for banking the earth up against thenonconducting webs to retain the later in place and provide thenecessary hills or banks for the plants.

Another object of the invention is to produce an efficient celerycultivator having the practical and desirable structural featureshereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings, consisting of four sheets: Figure 1 is acentral longitudinal sectional elevation of a celery cultivatorembodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, with onewheel partly broken away to disclose the parts inside of the same. Fig.3 is a plain view thereof. Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in horizontalsection, showing the web support, guiding and protecting means. Fig. 5is a cross section of the machine in line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is atransverse sectional elevation of the cultivator, in line 6-6, Fig. l.Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation thereof in line 7-7, Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

The cultivator is of the straddle row type and the several parts of themachine are carried by a wheeled sulky of some suitable construction.The frame of the sulky illusn trated in the drawings comprises a crossbar A provided at opposite sides with a pair of depending legs orhangers b having suitable bearings at their lower ends for crank axles bon which the ground wheels B are journaled, side rods or bars C whichare secured to the cross bar A and converge forwardly to a connectingtongue loop or guide c, and inclined braces or rods c which are securedto the lower ends of the bearing hangers b and are connected by clips c2or other means to the front portions of the side rods C. The bearinghangers are preferably adjustable laterally on the cross bar of theframe, for which purpose, in the construction shown, the cross bar ismade of two spaced timbers, and the hangers are adjustably securedthereto by vertical bolts d, Figs. 2, 3 and 6, passing between saidtimbers and through the hangers and saddle plates cl on top of the crossbar. The braces c being adjustable forwardly and rearwardly on the siderods C do not interfere with the lateral adjustments of the bearinghangers b.

E represents levers attached to the crank axles for turning them intheir bearings to regulate the height of the machine. The levers areprovided with ordinary holding dogs cooperating with toothed segments con the bearing hangers for holding the axles in adjusted positions.

F represents a tongue or pole which is suitably pivoted at its rear endto the cross bar A. by a king pin or bolt f, Figs. 1 and 2, or in anyother suitable way, and projects forwardly through the loop or guide cso that the tongue is permitted a limited lateral swinging movementrelative to the sulky frame.

G. Figs 1-3 and 7, is a transverse steering bar or lever which isvpivoted centrally to the sides or the row of plants,

tongue, for instance, by a pin or bolt g, in front of the drivers seat gand is provided at opposite ends with foot rests or stirrups g2 withinreach of the drivers feet, and has a forwardly-projecting arm g3, thefront end ofwhich has a pin and slot or other suitable slide connectiong4 with the tongue loop or guide c. By turning the steering bar Gr onits pivot the sulky can be swung laterally on the king pin f into a moreor less angular relation to the tongue and thus 'caused to properlyfollow the `i-o'w of plants.

H represents a transverse horizontal drain equalizer bar pi'votedbetween its ends 'to the center pole of the sulky and provided lat itsouter ends with hanging draft bars t to v'vhieli the sivinglesti-ees orother :draft de: vices h" are adj ustably connected. The lower ends 'f`the 'hanging "draft D- nected, for example, by chains h2, to the irontends of plow bea-nis as which are pivtd by bltS 77.*, Otherwise, t thelWGl ends yof upright posts if which are secured to and verticallyadjustable on the bearing hangers o. i N A j l The parts thus fardescribed 'constitute lthe carriage ion die web supplying, cultivatingand banking appliances, 'and while the jcon'- struction thereofdescribed is considered Adesirable, the same may be 'of other lrnown orsuitable construction without `t'lepartin'g from the scope of inyinvention.

I represents a roll ofpape'r or analogous thin exible material which isa good nonc'onductor of heat. In practice, two 'webs are simultaneouslyplaced along the opposite and for this `pur pose tivo oi the rolls I areprovided. They are located at opposite sides of the lower centralportion ofthe machine so as to be on opposite sides oi the row of plantsstioddled by the machine, and are rotatably supported in substantially'upright position, so that the websl lcan be paid out from the rear of'the machine in upright position tofs'tand on Aedge against the oppositelsides of the row oi plants. In the niaohine illustrated, the lv'vebrolls are journals-d on upright spindles secured to and risingiromsupporting 'drags or trucks K consisting Yof shoes or runners withupturne'dffroi'it ends and which are cons nected by a yoke /c havingupright legs provided at their lower ends with horizontalfeet orportions to which the runners arie secured, and at their upper ends withhorizonL tal arms adjnstnbly connected by eli-ps 7e whereby the dragscan be properly spaced or adjusted relative to the sides of the row ofplants. Wheels 7a2 nre also jonrnaled in suitable bearings on thesupporting 'iee't toitli rl'lii'els. iIl fr'lt 4the l'l'liile'ls, "seFY'S. l 'and 4.

4The drags are preferably connected tothe slllky :by lan invertedU-sh'aped or larched traine L inode of pipes and provided at its i uppercentral portion with a forwardly# projecting pipe or sleeve Z whichsurrounds and is adapted to slide fore and aft of the machine on acentral horizontal rod Z suitably secured at its front and rear ends tothe sulky frame. inclined brace rods Z2 connect the front end of thesleeve Z with the lower ends of the legs 'of the arch frame L toproperly brace the frame. Fig. hooked or otherwise attached at theirlower ends to the front portions of the drags K, extend up into the legsof the arch frame L, and coil 'springs Z4 surrounding these rods in thelegs of the frame L and bearing -at p'pSite 'eIClS agai'IiSt at thelOWe' @lids of said legs and adjustable nuts Z5 on the upper ends of therods Z3 yieldingly support the drags and allow them the rise and fall inriding over the surface of the ground. The drags are ,held in thedesired relation to each other by the connecting yoke la, but themovable supporting rods Z3 and the arched frame L, 'which is 'free toswing or tilt on the rod Z', allow sufficient up and down movement ofthe drags toproperly follow and ride over rough ground. rlhe archedframe also, being movable fore and aft of the machine, enables themachine to back a short distance without moving the drags backward,which pre-V vents vthe paper webs from stacking and twisting which isapt to result in the earth getting in between the plants and the paper,and in the paper being torn when the forward motion of the machine iscontinued.

The non-conducting webs are held in vupright position and properlydirected as they are paid out by suitable means consisting, in theconstruction shown, see Figs. l, 4 and G, of rearwardly-extendingconverging guide plates M which are secured at their front le'nd'sto thelegs of the yoke a. The tail ends of the guide plates move along onopposite sides of the plants and serve to lay the non-conducting webs,which pass rearwardly 'out between the guide plates up against 'theopposite sides of the row of plants. The guide plates are preferablymade of thin flexible metal.

m, Figs. 2 and 4, represents upright guards which are fixed to the dragsand partially surround the web rolls on their outer sides to preventearth, stones or other matter from striking and injuring the webs.

N represents Scrapers which are mounted in front ofthe drag runners onforward extensions of the horizontal portions of the 'Voke and Vdivergerearwardly at the outer sides 'of the runners. These scrapers divertloose clods, stones and the like outwardly VICrom in front of therunners 'and prevent Lhe sainenfro'in working in between the paper.'vebs and the plants. Leaf gatherers O are itgs'elied at their irontends to the 'iront ends ofthe Scrapers and converge rearwardlytherefrom, the front ends thereof flaring Upright rods Z3,

outwardly and upwardly. These gatherers lift up the spreading anddrooping leaves or stalks of the plants and hold them upright until theyare engaged and held by the paper webs.

The earth is banked or thrown up against the paper webs to hold the samein place and form the bank by suitable banking devices. In the machineshown, these devices consist of two plows P secured to the dependingrear ends of the plow beams h3 and arranged outside and to the rear ofthe drags K, and wings or boards Q which converge rearwardly from theplows. The plows dig up and turn the earth inwardly, and the wingsfollowing along behind the plows gradually move it over toward and bankit up against the two webs along the opposite sides of the row ofplants. The banking wings preferably have inbent lower portions p andare hinged at their front ends to the depending parts of the plow beamsin rear of the plows so that they can swing horizontally. An uprightyoke p connects the rear portions of the banking wings to hold them at afixed distance apart and cause them to swing together, the yoke beingadjustable in width similarly to the yoke /6 connecting the drags, forregulating the distance between the banking wings. The yoke is slidablyconnected to the banking wings so that they can rise and fallindependently thereof, and is suspended from a suitable adjusting devicefor regulating the height of the same and the plows O. The adjustingdevice shown consists of an L-lever g* fulcrumed at its angle on arearward extension g of the tongue and having a rearwardly extending armattached bya hook chain Q to the yoke A toothed dog g2 pivoted to theouter end of the lever is adapted to engage a holding pin g3 on thetongue extension, and a dog lifter g4 pivoted on the lever and having anoperating handle g5 is provided for releasing the dog. Any othersuitable adjusting means for the banking plows and wings could beemployed.

Suitable means are provided for counterbalancing the banking plows andwings, such, for instance, as ordinary springpressed rods It, Figs. 1-3,connecting the front ends of the plow beams to the sulky frame.

S, Fig. 2, represents a sharp-edged inclined colter or blade secured toeach plow beam for cutting roots, weeds and the like and causing theplows to ride over stones, stumps, Sac.

' The operation of the machine or implement is as follows: The ends ofthe webs or bands are pulled to the rear of the web guides and placedagainst the opposite sides of the plants at the end of a row and securedagainst the plants by earth, stones, or`

other holding means. The machine is then drawn along the row and as thewebs are held they are drawn or paid out from the rolls and laid orplaced in substantially npright position along the opposite sides ot'the plants. As the machine continues its course the banking plows andwings throw or bank the earth against the web guides, olf of which itslides rearwardly against the webs or strips to partially or whollycover the same and hold them in position against the plants, and at thesame time cultivating or turning up the earth and forming the bank forthe row of plants.

A straddle row machine, such as described, is preferable because thewebs are placed and the earth banked sinniltancously against oppositesides of the plants, thereby preventing the plants from being pressedover to one side or broken. If desired, however, the webs and earth canbe placed first along one side of the row and thereafter along theopposite side.

In this application is shown and described the construction of themachine which. at this time, is believed to be most practical, but Ibelieve I am the first to protect and bleach celery by flexible webs orstrips of paper, or other suitable non-conducting material, which arelaid and secured along side of the row of plants by a machine as it ismoved along the row, and manifestly/ the means employed for supportingand delivering the webs. for covering or securing them in place besidethe plants. and the various other features of the machine could bearranged and constructed in various different ways and yet be within thescope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. In an implement for the purpose stated, means for delivering aflexible web or strip along side of the row of plants and securing thesame in position as the implement is moved along the row, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of means forpaying out a flexible web or strip alongside of the row of plants as theimplement is moved along the row, and means for banking earth againstsaid web or strip to hold it in place, substantially as set forth.

3. In an implement for the purpose stated the combination of means fordelivering flexible webs or strips along the opposite sides of the rowof plants as the implement is moved along the row, and means forsecuring the webs or strips to hold them in place, substantially as setforth.

4. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of means forrotatably supporting a roll of flexible material whereby the material ispaid out alongside of the row of plants as the implement is moved alongthe row, and means for securing the web or strip of material in positionalongside of the row of plants, substantially as set forth.

5. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of means forrotatably supporting a roll of flexible material whereby the material ispaid out alongside of the row of plants as the implement is moved alongthe row, and means for banking earth against said material to hold it inplace, substantially asset forth.

Y 6. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of meansfor rotatably supporting a roll of flexible material in a substantiallyupright position, whereby the material is paid out vertically alongsideof the row of plants as the implement is moved along the row, and meansfor banking earth against said material to hold it in place,substantially as set forth.

7. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of means forpaying out a flexible web or strip as the implement is moved along therow of plants, means for directing the web alongside of the plants inanv upright position, and means for securing said web in position,substantially as set forth.

8. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of mea-ns forpaying out a flexible web or strip as the implement is moved along therow of plants, a guide plate for directingthe web alongside of theplants in an upright position, and means for placing earth against saidweb to hold it in place, substantially as set forth.

9. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of means forpaying out a flexible web or strip as the implement is moved along therow of plants, means for placing earth against said web to hold it inplace, and a guide for directing the web along side of the plants in anupright position, said guide being arranged between the web and themeans for placing earth against the web whereby the guide temporarilyreceives the pressure of the earth and relieves the web from suchpressure and prevents injury to the same, substantially as set forth. l

l0. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of means forpaying out two flexible webs or strips as the implement ismoved alongthe row of plants, rearwardly converging upright guides along the innersides of which the webs pass and which direct the webs or strips againstthe opposite sides of the row of plants in upright position, and meansfor banking earth against said guides and webs to hold the latter inplace, substantially as set forth.

11. In an implement forthe purpose stated,

the combination of means for paying outk two flexible webs or strips asthe implement is moved along the row of plants, rearwardly convergingupright guides along the inner sides of which the webs pass and whichdirect the webs or vstrips against the opposite sides of the row ofplants in upright posi'- tion, and banking devices at Aopposite sides ofthe said guides for banking the earth against the webs or strips to holdthem in place, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination of a carriage, a web or strip support connectedthereto and movable relative to the carriage, means on said support forpaying out a flexible web or strip as the carriage is moved along therow of plants, and means for banking earth against the web to hold it inplace, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of a carriage, drags loosely connected to thecarriage to move relative thereto, means connecting the drags tomaintain the same relation between them, means carried by said drags forpaying out flexible webs or strips as the carriage is moved along therow of plants, means carried by the drags for directing the webs orstrips against the opposite sides of the row of plants in uprightposition, and means for banking earth against the webs or strips,substantially as set forth.

14. The combination of a carriage, drags loosely connected to thecarriage to move fore and aft relative thereto, means connecting thedrags to maintain the same relation between them, means for paying outflexible webs or strips as the carriage is moved along the row ofplants, rearwardly-extending guides which direct the webs or stripsagainst the opposite sides of the row of plants in upright position, andmeansv for banking earth against the webs or strips, substantially asset forth.

l5. The combination of a carriage, an arched drag frame mounted to movefore and aft and swing sidewise on said carriage, drags -movablyconnected to said frame, means carried by said drags for paying outflexible webs or strips as the carriage is moved along the row ofplants, means for directing the webs or strips against the oppositesides of the row of plants in upright position, and means for bankingearth against the webs or strips, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of a carriage, means for paying out flexible webs orstrips along the opposite sides of the row of plants as the carriage ismoved along, and means for banking earth against said webs or stripscomprising plows at opposite sides of said webs or strips, banking wingswhich converge rearwardly from said plows and are mounted to movelaterally, and means for adjusting said banking plows and wingsvertically, substantially as set forth. f

17. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of means forpaving out a flexible web or strip alongside of the plants as theimplement is moved along the row, a scraper arranged in front of saidmeans, and means for banking earth against said Web or strip,substantially as set forth.

18. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of means forpaying out a flexible Web orl strip alongside of the plants as theimplement is moved along the row, a leaf gatherer arranged in front ofsaid means, and means for banking earth against said Web or strip,substantially as set forth.

19. In an implement for the, purpose stated, the combination of meansfor paying out a flexible Web or strip alongside of the plants as theimplement is moved along the row, a scraper and a leaf gatherer arrangedin front of said means, and means for banking earth against said Web orstrip, substantially as set forth.

20. In an implement for the purpose stated, the combination of means forpaying out a flexible web or strip alongside of the plants as theimplement is moved along the row, a guard for protecting said Web orstrip, and means for banking earth against said web or strip,substantially as set forth.

2l. The combination of a carriage, means for delivering a flexible Webor strip alongside of the row of plants and securing it in position asthe carriage is drawn along the row, a tongue pivoted to said carriage,and a steering bar pivoted to said tongue and having an arm connected tosaid carriage, Whereby the latter can be turned into angular relation tosaid tongue, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand, this 31 day of July, 190

WALTER L. BONNEY.

Witnesses:

WALTER W. WARE, FRANK J. Coon.

